The parents of Osaze Osagie addressed State
College Borough Council, at their meeting
Monday. Osagie was a black autistic man
who police say was shot and killed by State
College police after he refused to put a
knife down.
This was the first time the parents of Osagie
spoke to the public since their son was
shot and killed by police, in March. They
say they just want to find a way to make
sure something like this doesn't happen again.
"It's not always about for or against, it's
about righting a wrong, it's about solving a
problem," Osaze's mother Iyun Osagie said.
"Something went dreadfully wrong and somebody
somewhere needs to be accountable for that.�
Iyun and Sylvester Osagie requested time to
address the State College Borough Council
during their meeting, Monday night.
In March, police were called to do a mental
health check on Osagie, but a police report
says Osagie came at the police with a knife
and ignored their commands to drop it,
before police shot and killed him. A few months
later an internal review was released
justifying the officer's actions.
At this moment, everything is still very fresh
for us, it's hard at this time," Iyun Osagie said.
"The entire community was traumatized just as
we're traumatized as a family," Osaze's father
Sylvester Osagie said.
The Osagie's used their time to thank the
community for their support and thank the Borough
Council but also address some questions and
concerns they have surrounding their son's death.
"Like what exactly did you do to actually assess
that there's no implied bias? I don't believe I
ever got an answer that was satisfactory,"
Iyun Osagie said.
"The police should have contacted me, when they
found my son. They knew that I was driving around
looking for him,� Sylvester Osagie said
The Osagie's also say they're thankful for the
borough council and the building of a task force.
They say they feel like they've been human in
their relationship with them.
Meanwhile, a play to remember Osaze is expected
to hit the stage in State College later this week.